Need some help please

zachary

Member
Alrght i am in the procees of starting a layout. So i need some help. I have some 85 foot long passenger cars and. I need to know what kind of track radius i need thanks for the help Zachary fsign1
 
Long cars like that, you want to use radius as big as possible. While they can make it around 18"-radius track, the overhang does look a bit ridiculous. :D
 
85? thats mighty long lol... I am no expert but a ROUGH guess 22 or 24 radius, but please dont quote me, maybe TOM will stop by lol, and its always better to go wide than too narrow lol...
 

pgandw

Active Member
60" radius is recommended by the Layout Design Special Interest Group for good appearance and full functioning of couplers on curves for 12" (actual length) long cars.

36" radius and higher is recommended as the minimum by the LDSIG rule of thumb. 36" radius will allow you to use normal body mounted couplers, and full details underneath without the trucks binding on the details in curves. Couplers may couple but will not uncouple automatically on curves. Diaphrams on the vestibules will probably work. Long trains will not string line on a helix.

30" radius is about the minimum for non-pivoting body-mounted couplers on that length of car. Some underbody details may interfere with trcuk swiveling.

24" radius will require either truck-mounted couplers or special pivoting body mounts. Diaphrams will not match up. Overhang is becoming excessive. Some underbody details will likely have to be cut away. Cars cannot be coupled or uncoupled on curves. Testing of each car becomes necessary.

Most unmodified commercial models of 85 ft cars will not do 18" radius. Truck-mounted couplers and adjustment of underbody detail to allow free pivoting of trucks is critical. Individual testing of each car and combinations of cars and engines is required. String lining of long trains where any car is not free-rolling is likely. Overhang is such that the outside of the car body is practically inside the inner rail at the center. Reliable and derailment-free operation becomes quite difficult to achieve. Only certain engines will work and cars will likely have to be placed in a specific order that has been tested.


my thoughts, your choices
 

zachary

Member
Thank you everyone for your help. I have one more question i have got some airtanks from detail west and need to know what size of drill bit do i need thank you zacharyf
 
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